- 111V IVII~Ajh~tt LJdII~ - P.IUt~UII ~I - ~ 11-13 septemter11-1~ - h -l'-' L _{L L :1 Je Q:. R A z.c i ne MicWn vary - KICKQTT i i - SepT, teen 11-1j =--- THIS WEED iw w - - - - - - - - - - - - IRW we Posy0 P REVIEWS4 September}1:1-13 Colorado comes to town to finish heavenly series Thomas may provide punch to swift, experienced skill positions How many rivalries are born in an instant, created spontaneously from a blinding moment of magic and pain, instead of a slow simmer of emotion over several seasons? And how many times can two teams pound each other only to decide the game on its final play, on a Hail Mary heave with national title hopes hanging in the air along with the ball? There is no way to completely com- prehend the way Michigan and Colorado have played football against each other this decade. They have met twice in extraordinary games that have produced tempests of emotion and excitement, unlike any seen before but that are nearly mirror images of each other. In 1994, with the Wolverines hoping to win their first national title since 1948, the Buffaloes won a game in which they were dominated, when quarterback Kordell Stewart did the unforgettable. He was on his own 36-yard line, behind by five points with six seconds remaining and the Michigan Stadium crowd roaring. And suddenly, it was over. Stewart's desperate toss was tipped into the air by safety Chuck Winters and landed in the grateful hands of receiver Michael Westbrook. Touchdown. Silence. Westbrook had made The Catch. The Wolverines lost, 27-26, beginning a downward spiral to an 8-4 season. Many feel they have yet to recover, though they redeemed themselves last season. Under a full rainbow in the endless Boulder, Colo., sky, the Buffaloes thought they would do it again. Michigan led, 20-13, in the final minute, but as quarterback Scott Dreisbach tried to run out the clock, he made a critical mistake. On fourth-and-13, he fumbled the snap and downed the ball. There were five seconds remaining, and on a change of possession, the clock stops. Colorado had one last chance. Quarterback Koy Detmer ran out to play the role of Stewart; receiver Rae Carruth played Westbrook. Winters played him- self, and this time, he made no mistake. Though the Buffaloes were closer, on the Michigan 37, they ran the same play, rocket-jet-right, and the Wolverines ran the same defense, 30-victory. Detmer threw to the right corner of the end zone - where Westbrook made The Catch two years before - but Winters batted it down. This time the Buffaloes, who were hoping for their first national title since 1990, had their dreams dashed. The Wolverines had won, and the sto- U U rybook finish of 1994 had a sequel. "It shows you how easily things could have gone the other way in 1994," Colorado coach Rick Neuheisel said afterward. But before that game, the Wolverines didn't want it viewed that way. Michigan coach Lloyd Carr was vocal with his view that 1994 was an isolated incident. In a teleconference, he said the 1994 "game has no bearing on this game. I'm not talking about that game." Dreisbach, however, said the 1994 game did motivate the Wolverines, giving them "something to learn from. We have to play four quarters of football and not let up. I remember where I was when the play happened. I was on the sidelines in my uniform, and I saw the play. I was shocked that it had just taken place." There no doubt will be the same type of talk this weekend, but the lessons and motivations remain the same. Both teams want this one, the rubber match of the three-game series that ends this year. Colorado, though depleted by the loss of Detmer and Carruth, may present a far greater test for the Wolverines than any- one, and it is unlikely that it will take four quarters of nearly flawless football - and maybe a few prayers - to win. Because the Wolverines are the final Division I team to open the season and must do so against the Buffaloes, Carr said they will be at a distinct disadvan- tage. Colorado, which beat Colorado State last Saturday, has had more time to prepare for a game that always seems to go against the team caught on its heels. - Nicholas Ji Cotsonika roducti~o Hip Hop - Hi NRG Dance - Detroit House Bass - Theme Parties (517) 351-1366 1-800-355-5926 FILE PHOTO Michael Westbrook hauled in this Hall Mary pass on the last play of the game in 1994. Last year's game went down to the last play as well. Running backs With little hesitation, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr admits that the one area that needs the most improvement over last season is the running game. Granted, the Wolverines didn't have a terrible ground attack. But for only the second time since 1985, Michigan didn't average 200 rushing yards per game - a sure sign of mediocrity in the Big Ten. Relying mostly on Clarence Williams and Chris Howard, the Wolverines averaged only 168 rushing yards. So while Howard and Williams will likely split the duties at tailback for Saturday's opener, Carr said that if nei- ther is impressive, 225-pound true freshman Anthony Thomas could get plenty of carries. "He's going to play," Carr said. "He's one of those guys who, when he gets the football, everyone turns to watch. He's a good receiver and he gives us some size that we haven't had in a while." Thomas, rated the No. 2 tailback in the country out of high school, reminds Carr of Tyrone Wheatley. He won't start right away, but it is con- ceivable that Thomas could become Michigan's feature back. But Williams and Howard aren't likely to lie down and let Thomas vault ahead of them on the depth chart, and Carr is hoping that the pair can shoul- der most of the load. Williams, a junior, and Howard, a senior, are veterans. Each has shown flashes of brilliance. Howard racked. up five 100-yard games last season and scored a team-high 10 touch- downs. Williams had a strong freshman sea- son, but after bulking up before his second year, had a disappointing sophomore season. But Williams has dropped 15 pounds in preparation for this season. "I really think that the extra weight slowed me down," Williams said. "I feel like the quickness is back after losing the weight." While at least three players will share time at tailback, senior Chris Floyd will play almost every down that Carr goes with a fullback. Promising sophomore John Anes, who was expected to challenge Floyd for the starting spot, left the team for personal reasons before fall practice began Floyd was a decent runner last sea- son, averaging 3.4 yards per carry, but he made the most improvement as a blocker. Floyd was a tailback in high school and had to learn the intricacies of the fullback position when he came to college. The loss of Anes means that true freshman Demetrius Smith will be Floyd's backup. Smith saw more time at nose tackle in high school, but Carr loves Smith's size (6-foot-2, 265- pounds) and his blocking skills. Meanwhile, Charles Woodson is, as always, a threat as a rusher as well. The cornerback/receiver/kick returner aver- aged 25.3 yards per carry on six revers- es from his receiver spot, including a 57-yard touchdown against Illinois. . - John Leroi Running backs The starters Pos. No. Name Yr./Elig. TB 33 Clarence Williams Jr./Jr. TB 8 Chris Howard Sr./Sr. FB 7 Chris Floyd Sr./Sr. The backups TB 32 Anthony Thomas Fr./Fr. FB 27 Demetrius Smith Fr./Fr. FB 34 Eric Brackins Fr./Fr. Receivers When junior Jerame Tuman was being recruited out of Liberal (Kan.) High School, there were a lot of things on his mind. There was his size, which is presently 6-foot-4, 235 pounds. There were his hands, which are soft enough to catch an ostrich egg dropped from a 10- story building. And there were offenses. Who would use his potent combination? Apparently, the Wolverines said they would, and they have kept their promise. Last season, the Wolverines used their tight ends, Tuman and junior Mark Campbell, extensively. Tuman caught 33 passes for 524 yards; Campbell 13 for 169. Michigan's top wide outs, Tai Streets and Russell Shaw, barely sur- passed those numbers. Streets caught 44 passes for 730 yards; Shaw 33 for 384. Expect the Wolverines to lean on their tight ends again this season, even though the arsenal is a full one. Streets and Shaw, along with sophomores Marcus Knight and Kevin Bryant, are more than dependable. Sophomore Aaron Shea closes out what could be the best tight end corps in the nation. Don't forget all-purpose star junior Charles Woodson, either. While he isn't intercepting passes at cornerback or returning punts and kicks, he lines up on offense as the most talented player on the field. He is so feared, defenses key on him instantly, and he is a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the nation's top receiver, even though he has just 13 career receptions. "It's a great feeling to know that the coaches want to use you that way," Woodson said. "I'll just keep playing hard and trying to make things happen. I can catch the ball." As good as Woodson is, however, the passing offense begins at tight end at Michigan, no matter which quarterback, senior Brian Griese or junior Scott Dreisbach, is starting. "I came to Michigan, because I knew they utilized their tight ends," Tuman said. "It's a great feeling to be so involved in the offense." Tuman and Campbell are almost iden- tical targets. Campbell is just as big as Tuman at 6- 6, 242. Both are excellent blockers. And the only way to tell them apart, other than Tuman's No. 80 and Campbell's No. 88, is a slight difference in speed. "I'm a little faster," Tuman said with a smile. - Nicholas Ji Cotsonika Receivers The starters Pos. No. Name Yr./Elig. SE 86 Tai Streets Jr./Jr. FLK 4 Russell Shaw Sr./Sr. TE 80 Jerame Tuman Sr./Jr. The backups SE 85 Marcus Knight So./So. FLK 19 Aaron Wright So./Fr. TE 36 Aaron Shea Jr./So. TE 88 Mark Campbell Sr./Jr. RESTAURANT U V + Junior Clarence Williams shed 15 pou year ago. Williams, Chris Howard and I DINE IN CARRY OUT BREAKFAST ALL DAY* LUNCH - DINNER 3 EGG OMELETTES *CONEY5 BURGE RS " SPINACH PIE SH ISH KABOBS - CYROS OGREEKL ALAD S OPEN TIL L 4AM+ THURSDAY, FRIDAY & SATUR DAY SUN. MON.-WED. THURS.-SAT. 8AM-8 PM AMIaOPM 8AM-4AM 215 S. STATE STREET (313)6X62-6336 SporI The M Readersi -3 Big -8 additi -Satellite Coverage -13 E Come join us for al excitement of the 1 1220 S. 66